Michigan State Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Daily Update
12/25/2021 10:56:00 PM | Football
Michigan State is New Year's Six Bowl bound! The No. 10 Spartans (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) will play ACC Champion and No. 12 Pittsburgh (11-2, 7-1 ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The game will be televised on ESPN. Follow msuspartans.com all week as the Spartans prepare to play the Panthers in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Thursday, Dec. 30
No. 10 Michigan State completed the biggest turnaround in school history with a thrilling 31-21 comeback win over No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday night in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Trailing 21-10 midway through the fourth quarter, the Spartans (11-2) outscored the Panthers, 21-0, down the stretch to win their 11th game in a season for just the sixth time in school history.
"It was a great victory for us," said MSU head coach Mel Tucker, who won his first bowl game as a head coach. "I want to thank the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl for just an incredible experience for our football team, our entire organization. We're forever grateful for the opportunity.
"Our guys played extremely hard, like they always do. They never flinched. They continued to just keep chopping wood and keep believing. And we were able to hit our stride there in the second half and play complementary football – offense, defense, special teams working together. And we were able to take it deep down into the fourth quarter and we got stronger and stronger as the game went. And we went down into the deep water and were able to find a way to get it done."
For a complete recap of the game, click here.
"Really proud of our guys and our seniors. Our fans were incredible. They traveled. They were deep. And they really helped pull us through…To get to 11 wins in a New Year's Six bowl is quite an accomplishment for this group."-MSU head coach Mel Tucker
Wednesday, Dec. 29
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker and Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi held a press conference Wednesday morning to preview the upcoming Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“It's been great - it's been the best,” said Tucker on the experience in Atlanta this week for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. "We've had a great week here in Atlanta. I want to thank Gary Stokan and everyone here at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl for their incredible hospitality all week. Our players and staff have really enjoyed our time here.
"We've also been preparing all week for a great Pitt team. I want to congratulate Coach Narduzzi and his staff on winning the ACC and having an outstanding season. They are a great opponent, and we're really looking forward to playing those guys tomorrow night.
“For our program, it's a chance to win 11 games for only the sixth time in school history and win a New Year's Six bowl for only the second time. I know a lot of Spartan fans will be traveling to the game, and we appreciate all of their support. And they've been very supportive all season long."
A complete transcript of the press conference is available here.
This is a big stage and an opportunity to send our seniors out on a very positive note and also gain some momentum for next season. Our team is really excited to get on the field tomorrow night.-MSU head coach Mel Tucker
The No. 10 Spartans (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) conducted their final bowl practice in the afternoon inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium prior to tomorrow night’s game against the No. 12 Panthers (11-2, 7-1 ACC). The game will be televised on ESPN.
Last practice ? #RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/JzmSgnpUy8
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 29, 2021
Tuesday, Dec. 28
Michigan State continued its Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl preparations with a busy day on Tuesday in Atlanta.
The team began the morning with a lifting session on the campus of Georgia Tech before arriving back at the hotel for meetings. Prior to practice, the Spartans took a team photo inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, then held a brief one-hour walk through.
Following practice, sixth-year senior center Matt Allen, fifth-year senior tight end Connor Heyward, redshirt junior wide receiver Jayden Reed and redshirt sophomore Payton Thorne met with the media for a virtual press conference to preview the upcoming matchup against No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson talked to reporters in the morning.
“I like where we're at offensively,” said Johnson. “We've done some good things. And it's been good here even in the interim after the final game against Penn State. We've had a chance to go back to the basics. And what the program is built upon, and Mel (Tucker) talks about this all the time, is really fundamentals and techniques. It was good to kind of reset, so to speak, reset here after the Penn State game and get a lot of good work in there. Now obviously our focus has changed to more of the game prep. But the start of the bowl deal, that was it. And that's one of the benefits of playing in a bowl game. I think our offense has used that to our advantage, and I think we're in a good spot.”
A complete transcript from Tuesday's press conference can be found here.
“Time to ball” #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/x5nOGwRpCM
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 28, 2021
Former Super Bowl Champion and college coach Bill Curry spoke to the team in the afternoon.
Michigan State will conduct one final practice on Wednesday afternoon inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium before Thursday night’s game against Pitt at 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 27
Michigan State practiced for the first time in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday after two practices at Georgia Tech over the weekend. The world-class facility will host the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. as the No. 10 Spartans (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) take on No. 12 Pittsburgh (11-2, 7-1 ACC).
Locked in ?? #RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/WuFYhAHvnT
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 27, 2021
Prior to team and position group meetings in the morning, Michigan State Secchia Family Defensive Coordinator Scottie Hazelton, sixth-year senior defensive end Drew Beesley, redshirt freshman linebacker Cal Haladay and sophomore defensive back Darius Snow met with the media for a virtual press conference to preview the upcoming matchup against the Panthers.
“Defense is a team thing – I think it has to go all together,” said Hazelton. “Yes, the secondary, we would love for them to finish strong and be able to say, 'OK, we've got something to hang our hat on.’ … But really it comes back to the D-line too. It's about them, too. It's not just a one-part thing. We have to be able to get pressure on the quarterback.
“I think it's always important to be able to go off on a positive note.”
Following practice, MSU head coach Mel Tucker and the four captains – Beesley, Luke Campbell, Xavier Henderson and Payton Thorne – visited the Egelston Children’s Hospital in the afternoon.
Thank you @childrensatl for letting us stop by today! These moments are what it’s all about ?? #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/wp409SXwaI
— Mel Tucker (@Coach_mtucker) December 27, 2021
In the evening, the team visited the College Football Hall of Fame. After dinner and touring the Hall of Fame, it was time for the final “Battle for Bowl Week” challenges - and the Spartans came away victorious, securing the “Battle for Bowl Week" belt after three consecutive nights of various competitions with Pittsburgh.
THE BATTLE FOR BOWL WEEK BELT IS OFFICIALLY SECURED ?? pic.twitter.com/Ja5BRgA1Ae
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 28, 2021
Sunday, Dec. 26
Under sunny skies and temperatures in the low-70s, the Michigan State football team held its second practice in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Sunday at Bobby Dodd Stadium on the campus of Georgia Tech.
Great day to work #RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/nAnrb8302p
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 26, 2021
Following practice, MSU head coach Mel Tucker held a virtual press conference to give an update on bowl preparation for the matchup on Dec. 30 against No. 12 Pitt.
“We’re happy to be here in Atlanta,” said Tucker. “The Peach Bowl is a great bowl. We had a smooth trip down and everything has been great so far. The weather is great and we’ve had a couple of great practices over at Tech. This is a first-class bowl game. Our players are very excited to be here.”
A complete transcript from the press conference is available here.
In the evening, the Spartans took a break from football and visited Andretti Indoor Karting and Games in Marietta.
???????? ???????? @MSU_Football ????#GoGreen x #CFAPeachBowl pic.twitter.com/weEeyESInX
— Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) December 26, 2021
Took home another ?? last night ?? #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/esk4W7oa4O
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 27, 2021
MSU returns for its third practice in Atlanta on Monday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Saturday, Dec. 25
The Spartans started Christmas Day with meetings at the team hotel in the morning, followed by a lifting session on the campus of Georgia Tech. MSU head coach Mel Tucker then led the team through a brief practice in shells, helmets and shorts under cloudy skies and temperatures in the low-60s in Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“Great day to be great”@GeorgiaTechFB // #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/XrjGFMFeHM
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 25, 2021
In the evening, the Spartans gathered for a Christmas team dinner hosted by the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Christmas with the fam ?? #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/9Sx45uHMiW
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 26, 2021
The day finished with the first event in the “Battle for Bowl Week” challenge, which is a series of competitions that will take place during bowl week between MSU and Pitt. In the basketball challenge, five Spartans – Montorie Foster, Keon Coleman, Terry Lockett Jr., Maliq Carr and Payton Thorne – defeated Pitt, 134-94, to win the first of five challenges. The team at the end of the week that wins the most challenges will claim the Battle for Bowl Week Championship Belt.
The belt stays with us!!!
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 26, 2021
Our guys dominated the basketball challenge with a score of 134 to 94 ?? #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/cKBb33gzZF
Started the week off with a ?? #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/Jy1Z2y24Dc
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 26, 2021
The Spartans will return for their second practice in Atlanta on Sunday morning.
Friday, Dec. 24
The Spartans arrived in Atlanta on Christmas Eve to start their week of preparations for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 30 against No. 12 Pittsburgh. Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl President and CEO Gary Stokan welcomed the team to Atlanta in the evening.
“We want to welcome you - we're here for you," Stokan told the team. “All of our volunteers, all of our staff, this is about a reward for the players.”
The Spartans will hold their first bowl practice in Atlanta on Christmas Day at Bobby Dodd Stadium on the campus of Georgia Tech.
?? ATL@MSU_Football is ???????? ?? ??#GoGreen x #CFAPeachBowl pic.twitter.com/z0f17XEdDU
— Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) December 24, 2021
